After the last couple of years, coming together this Christmas will perhaps be more meaningful than ever before. Gathering your nearest and dearest for stories, family traditions and laughter will be at the heart of the seasonal cheer.
More often than not, this highly anticipated time of year can be here and gone before we even have the chance to finish a tin of Quality Streets. We’re also all very aware that preparing for Christmas can be more like planning a military operation; we find ourselves frazzled and fretting about buying the perfect gifts or producing a feast worthy of your most discerning guest’s approval.
But just imagine if you had somewhere to escape to, somewhere where you can celebrate the big day in style and bring back the true meaning of Christmas. Time is more precious than gifts, so this festive season, give the gift of memories – all wrapped up in one of our cosy Christmas cottages, and let us go, let us go, let us go!
Magical Christmas getaways
Honeycomb Cottage, Cotswolds
Being present, not buying presents
It is thought that the average Christmas costs between a staggering £750 and £1,500 per adult – so why not put that money to good use and invest in the best Christmas present that money can buy and the whole family can enjoy: an unforgettable break in one of our hand-picked holiday homes. Whether you choose a quirky cottage, luxurious lodge or coastal retreat, we can guarantee that Christmas will be the most wonderful time of the year.
Hill Farm Barn - Little Gransden, Cambridgeshire
And with our fabulous selection of festive cottages in the UK, there’s no reason why this Christmas can't be the best one yet. Enjoy a change of scenery, create new traditions and spend quality time together somewhere new. Why not make the cottage the perfect Christmas present for the whole family and give the gift of togetherness this year?
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Creating a magical Christmas in one of our family-friendly cottages
Not be at home this Christmas surrounded by sprouts and socks? Wait, isn’t that against the ‘laws of Christmas’? Probably, however, spending Christmas as a family in a holiday cottage comes with a wealth of benefits which you may not have even considered.
Because you are in a completely new location, you can throw caution to the wind and abandon the routine. Keep your jammies on until lunch, have chocolate biscuits for breakfast and allow the kids to decide when they are ready to go to bed. Okay, maybe not the last one – you haven’t completely taken leave of your senses, but you get the gist!
It’s about doing it all differently this year, so here are some suggestions about things to do with your little humans in preparation for HIS BIG ARRIVAL.
Dig out the Christmas craft box
‘But mummy!’ you hear your children wail, ‘how will Father Christmas find us?’ Never fear. The craft box is here; get the kids together to make a magic key so should you discover your holiday cottage doesn’t have a chimney or you’ve inadvertently lit a fire underneath Santa’s primary escape route, then the kids can rest assured that Father Christmas’ annual world marathon won’t be delayed.
Cook up some Christmas hullabaloo
Cooking with the kids can be a joyful experience and a really relaxing way to spend some time together with the added bonus of edible goodies at the end. However, let’s face it, we’re not all Mary Berry in the kitchen and the thought of children + icing sugar and flour = disaster may make us recoil in horror, but let’s just remember – it’s not our house!
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without making a mess, and who knows, you might even produce a festive bake or a Santa snack worthy of a Hollywood handshake.
Murcott Farm The Dairy, Cotswolds
Don your winter woollies
Next on the list to add a little sparkle is a trip in the great outdoors… in the dark. What could be better to spark the imagination than exploring the treasures that this brand-new neighbourhood has to offer? Wrap up warm, grab your wellies (or the car keys if you’re a bit more remote) and spend some family fun time spotting the best Christmas lights in the vicinity.
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house…no one would go to bed
Once back to your cosy property, it’s time to get those pyjamas on (if you haven’t already), light the fire and peel the kids off the ceiling with a Christmas story. This is a great time for creativity, so either plumb the depths of your imagination and create a magical story of your very own or arrive well-prepared with a brand new story you have chosen together.
Once you’ve achieved seasonal serenity(!), lay out the stockings and the snacks and snuggle down to wait for the big day.
Listen out for jingle bells at Mews Cottage – Smallburgh Hall, Norfolk
Sleeps 4 + 1 dog
Simply bursting with fun-filled entertainment for all ages, Mews Cottage is a wonderful choice for a memorable festive break for families. While you’re waiting for Santa to come down the chimney, you can make the most of a shared indoor heated swimming pool, a snooker room and a private hot tub.
Christmas cottages for families
Making Christmas memorable as a couple
While time with friends and family creates joyful memories, an escape for only you and your beloved can be exactly what you need at this time of year. Why not give the gift of a Christmas break away – just the two of you? Enjoy frosty countryside walks and cosy nights snuggled beside the fire, and take a moment to reflect on what this past year has meant to you both.
After your presents have been opened and your festive brunch eaten, why not indulge in some (or all) of these suggestions to make your Christmas Day memorable as a couple:
Hunker down in Worth Oast Apartment, Sussex
Sleeps 2 + 2 dogs
This chic retreat overlooking the East Sussex National Golf Course is the perfect hideaway for two. Work off your Christmas dinner with a game of pool or indulge in a tipple from the honesty bar. There is also a wealth of scenic walking trails from the front door of Worth Oast Apartment if you fancy blowing off those winter cobwebs.
Christmas cottages for couples
Rewrite the Christmas rules on a big group getaway
This winter season, it’s time to do things differently with your friends; take the reindeer by the antlers, give sprouts the heave-ho-ho-ho and produce the kind of Christmas you’ve always dreamed of, inspired by all of those fuzzy feel-good movies.
It's a rare occasion when everyone is available during the holiday season, but if the opportunity should arise, give the Mr or Mrs Claus in your group a proper break and let holidaycottages.co.uk help you find your perfect Christmas in a home away from home.
This year is about coming back together, so opt for one of our large Christmas houses where there is plenty of room for cracker pulling and enough beds for everyone. Re-discover the magic of Christmas and look forward to this year’s grandest of gatherings.
It’s your space to relax and indulge in, making as much festive noise as you want!
Board, not bored
Group getaways are simply made for playing games, so instead of switching on the TV for a festive binge too early and as a way of diverting everyone from antisocial screen time, why not consider some of the following activities for a bit of indoor fun once you’ve had your fill of turkey?
- Play a card game or indulge in some good old-fashioned bickering over a game of Monopoly
- Invent a Christmas quiz – losers have to do the washing up…
- Challenge each other to some of the best board games: some of our properties even have a selection of games and activities, so have a rummage in the cupboards or check out these top Christmas games, activities and traditions, and stir up a bit of rivalry!
- Some of our properties boast games rooms, where you could get competitive with a round of pool, darts or table tennis
- Enjoy some post-dinner pampering – many of our cottages for Christmas boast hot tubs, saunas and even swimming pools
- Make a gingerbread house with all the trimmings – this fun Christmas activity doesn’t just have to be just for the kids!
Plan a royal Christmas at Airlie Castle in Scotland
Sleeps 14 + 2 dogs
Set in the dramatic Scottish countryside, near the fringes of the Cairngorms National Park, this incredible property invites guests to spend Christmas like a king or queen. With seven sumptuous bedrooms, Airlie Castle invites you to unwind, made easy thanks to the peaceful library, glorious drawing room and even a snooker room. Whether you fancy reading a book by an open fire or exploring the castle’s seemingly endless corridors, relaxation awaits.
Outside, the property’s 30,000-acre estate offers a royal world to explore. Hidden amongst the scenic grounds await rivers for salmon and trout fishing, a pretty walled garden, a tennis court, a croquet lawn and plenty more outdoor fun.
It's time to do things differently this Christmas
So, there’s a not-quite-so-traditional Christmas all wrapped up, and remember it’s not too late to book a cottage for Christmas… or perhaps write to Santa and put it on your wish list for next year.
With one of our great properties, you can: enjoy sprawling in your own space; test drive a state-of-the-art kitchen – in the middle of the night if you want to; enjoy a Christmas decorated house without having to go near a bauble yourself; there are no surprising outlandish last-minute bills, and hopefully, you’ll get a better view than a brick wall and a pigeon.
Take a look at our selection of festive getaways, because you deserve to Christmas like the kids.
Browse our Christmas cottages